HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Greencastle-Antrim knocks off Northern York

Saturday

Sep 28, 2013 at 7:00 AM

By Ben Destefan

GREENCASTLE — The performance fit the occasion.

Hosting a solid Northern York squad for Homecoming Friday night, the Greencastle-Antrim varsity football team exemplified a program which prides itself on out-willing the opponent, culminating into a 20-13, Mid-Penn Colonial Division victory.

Behind a punishing ground attack, paced by Ashtin Byers rushing for 105 yards and a touchdown, the Blue Devils (2-3, 1-1 MPC-Colonial) managed to gradually wear down the Polar Bears (2-3, 1-1 MPC-Colonial), with a 3-yard scoring run by David Woody serving as the game-winner with 1:21 remaining in the fourth.

Both sides turned the ball over three times, frequently shifting momentum, but the collective effort of the G-A defense ultimately proved to be the difference.

The Blue Devils held Northern's spread offense to only 141 yards, with dominant play in the trenches being complemented by a stellar showing from the G-A secondary, intercepting Polar Bear quarterback Luke Lynes three times while allowing only six completions on 22 attempts.

Aside from the 30-7 win over Boiling Spring in Week 2, Friday night was easily G-A's best outing of the season, perhaps capable of acting as a springboard heading into the second half of the year.

"It was an overall great team effort and I feel great for the kids," G-A head coach Chuck Tinninis said. "Our kids come out, practice hard and they deserve it. It was a tough, physical football game and we managed to grind it out."

A 38-yard field goal by Justin Hovey, which was made possible by a Nathaniel Monn interception, accounted for the only points of the first quarter, giving the Blue Devils an initial 3-0 advantage.

Struggling to move the ball from the onset, Northern got a much-needed spark on special teams early in the second quarter, as Richard Settle returned a punt 54 yards for a touchdown to grant the Polar Bears a 6-3 lead after a missed extra point.

G-A's second lost fumble of the night ensued, with Northern taking over possession before moving to the Blue Devils' 9-yard-line three plays later, threatening to extend the margin.

Backed up deep in their own end, the G-A defense stood tall, as consecutive Northern runs up the middle were stuffed by Andrew Sheller prior to an incomplete pass setting up fourth-and-goal.

The consequent field goal attempt was then blocked by Bobby Rider, keeping the slim three-point deficit intact.

Given possession at their own 20 by rule, G-A needed one play to flip the field, as Byers barreled over a would-be tackler before breaking free down the right sideline for a 54-yard gain.

Seven snaps later, Byers, who was named Homecoming King prior to kickoff, rumbled in from 2-yards out, reclaiming the lead at 10-6.

An interception by Matt Montedoro ended Northern's ensuing possession, sending the Blue Devils into the locker room up 4 at halftime.

With a third lost fumble bringing a promising G-A drive to a halt midway through the third quarter, Northern ended up returning the favor two plays later, as Sam Sprague picked off a Lynes' pass before being tackled at the Polar Bear 14, setting up Hovey's second field goal of the night with 4:04 remaining in the frame.

Now trailing 13-6, Northern answered with its most productive drive of the game, marching 59 yards in eight plays capped by a 4-yard touchdown run from Settle, tying the contest at 13 entering the fourth.

A trio of punts opened the final quarter prior to the decisive sequence unfolding after Northern took over possession at its own 16 with 4:31 left to play.

As it had throughout the evening, G-A's defense again rose to the occasion, as Matt Oberholzer and Bailey Parker combined for a stop behind the line of scrimmage before Sprague deflected a pass on second down, resulting in third-and-13.

Scrambling to find a receiver, Lynes was wrapped up inside the 1-yard-line by Brae Peck and Kristian Sheeley, with the referees ruling him down inches from the goal line, thus negating a possible safety.

Facing fourth-and-26, Northern was forced to punt from its own end zone, giving the ball to G-A inside the Polar Bear 30.

A 17-yard pass from Montedoro to Byers on third down proceeded back-to-back runs by Woody, the second of which was a 3-yard touchdown for a 20-13 Blue Devil lead with 1:21 showing on the clock.

Still with time, Oberholzer broke up a Lynes pass to set up fourth-and-two before Northern's final attempt at late heroics fell incomplete along the sideline, turning the ball over on downs, allowing G-A to kneel on the victory.

"We wore them down, but they got some momentum when they got that touchdown late in the third," Tinninis said. "We were able to persevere and come up with that big series on defense which set us up with a short field to win it in the end. We needed this one and hopefully we can build off of it."

For the game, the Blue Devils rushed for 207 yards on 43 carries, with Byers' standout performance being followed by 50 yards from Woody.

Zech Ingram paced Northern, rushing for 89 yards while the three other Polar Bear ball carriers combined for negative-10.

G-A will return to action next Friday night at West Perry (1-4, 1-1 MPC-Colonial).

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